Self-releasing hook.



PATEN'TED JULY 2, 1907.

H. J. sumMs. 'smiy RBLEASING HOOK. APPLIUATION FILED-PEB. 2, 1907,

'lNVLNTOR WITNESSES:

UNITED sTATEs HARRY J. SUMMERS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

SELF-RELEASING Hoon.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2, 1907.l

Application filed February 2, 1907. Serial No. 355,345.

the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Self- Releasing Hooks, of which the following isa specification, reference being had therein to the accompanyingdrawings.

This invention relates to a retaining hook or catch adapted toautomatically release a member retained by the hook when a predeterminedstrain or force is applied to said hook by said member, said hook beingespecially adapted for use upon` the vestibules of railway cars to holdthe spring actuated curtains forming the inner side walls or surfaces ofthe passages leading from one coach to the next when the coaches arecoupled together in a train, said curtains covering the bellowsconnection to prevent the passengers or their clothing from becomingcaught and injured therein. As often occurs, if the trainmen neglect torelease these curtains before uncoupling the cars, the expensive leatheror other material from which they are made is torn, and the object ofthis invention is to provide a simple and convenient catch or hook with`which the curtain on the adjacent car may be engaged and which hookwill, when undue strain is put upon the curtain, automatically releasethe same, thus preventing the tearing of said curtain should the cars beuncoupled without first releasing it, said hook being also adapted forother uses wherever such a device is desirable.

To this end the invention consists in the construction hereinafter morefully described and particularly pointed out .in the claims, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing in which 1 Figure 1 is aperspective View of a device embodying` the invention with parts brokenaway to show the construction; Fig. 2 a horizontal section of the sameshowing the internal parts in plan view; and Fig. 3 a similar sectionshowing the parts in section and in their unlocked or inoperativeposition.

As shown in the drawings, l is a suitable face plate` by means of whichthe device is secured in place and projecting from the rear side of theface plate are two semicircular flanges which form the upper and lowerends of a casing 2 the curved side of which casing is formed by a bentsheet of metal and the other side by the face plate. i

Pivoted between the ends of the casing upon a pin 3 is a hook member 4adapted to be turned on the pin to project its curved arm or hook 5outward through a central opening 6 in the face plate in a position toreceive and hold a member 7 (indicated in dotted lines) designed to beretained by the hook. Pivoted within the casing at one side of the hookmember upon a pin 8` is a curved pawl 9 having a projection or shoulder10 at its free end to engage a projecting point or lug 11 on the hookmember when said member is turned with its hook projected or in'itsoperative position. To hold this pawl `in contact with the hook member,two Icoiled springs l2 are attached at one end to the upper and lowersides of the pawl near its free end and at their opposite ends saidsprings are secured to nuts 13 upon `the screw-threaded inner ends ofscrew bolts 14 which extend through openings in the face plate and turnfreely therein so thatl by turning said bolts by means of a wrenchapplied to the bolt heads or otherwise, the tension of the springs maybe accurately adjusted. The hook member and pawl swing between the upperand lower ends of the casing which thus form guide bearings therefor,and these ends are reduced in thickness at one side to make room in thecasing for the springs 12 and to form shoulders l5 adapted to be engagedby pins 16 projecting upward and downward from the hook member to limitthe outward swing of said member on its pivot.

A chamber 17 is formed in the hook member extending transverselytherethrough and opening at one end through the side thereof toward thepawl and at the other end into the bottom of the receiving recess formedby the hook 5. In this chamber is pivoted a latch 18 formed at one sidewith a bearing head 19 adapted to lie within the hook recess and theopposite 'end of the latch is rounded Vand projects from the chamber ashort distance to engage an incline 20 on the pawl when the hook memberis held by said pawl in its operative position, said bearing head beingheld by such engagement at a short distance from the bottom of the hookrecess. The retained member 7 while being held by the hook, seats uponthe bearing head of the latch and when the strain or pull on said member7 issuicient to overcome the force of the springs l2, the latch 18 willbe turned on its pivot, its opposite end, which engages the incline onthe pawl, forcing said pawl away from the hook member against the actionof said springs, and disengaging its shoulder from the lug on the hookmember. The latch thus operates to release the hook member to permit itto be turned into the casing by the pull on the retained member which isthus released. A lug or rib 2l on the extreme outer end of the hook armis provided to engage the facing plate and form a stop to limit theinward turning of the hook member, and to assist in returning the partsto their operative position. To prevent the retained member 7 fromcatching upon the projecting end of said hook-arm when said member isreleased, lugs 22 are provided on the facing plate above and below theopening 6, which lugs have inclined sides to raise the said member oversaid projecting end.

The projecting shoulder l0 on the pawl is cut away at the center forminga notch 23 therein through which the end'of the latch passes to permitthe hook member to turn after being released by the latch. The amount ofstrain which is necessary to operate the latch is accurately regulatedby adjusting the tension of the springs.

While the device shown is especially adapted and designed to hold thecurtains of railway car vestibules, it may be used for anyother purposeor in any other place Where automatically releasing hooks are desirable.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim is:-

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of aretaining member having a recess adapted to receive a member to beretained, means for holding said retaining member in operative position,and means for releasing said holding means projecting into said recessand adapted to be engaged and actuated by the member' retained.

2. In adevice of the character described, the combination ot a retainingmember having a recess adapted to receive a member to be retained, meansfor holding said retaining member in operative position, and means forreleasing said holding means extending into and movable in the bottom ofsaid recess and forming a seat for the reA tained member.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination of a pivotedretaining member' turned into operative position, and a latch adapted tobe engaged and operated by a member held by the retaining member torelease the holding means and permit the said retaining member to turnto release said member held thereto.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of aretaining member having a recess to receive and hold a member adapted tobe retained thereby and formed with a chamber extending therethrough andopening at one end into said recess, means for holding the retainingmember in operative position, and means in the chamber projecting intothe recess at one end to be engaged and op erated by the retained memberand adapted to engage at its opposite end the holding means and actu-atethe same to release the retaining member.

5. In a device ot the character described, the combination with a casinghaving an opening, of a retaining hook pivoted in the casing to swingoutward through said opening into operative position, a pawl pivoted inthe casing to engage and hold the hook in operative position, and meanscarried by the hook and adapted to be engaged by a member retained bythe hook to actuate said means and release the pawl.

6. In a device of the character described, the combina tion of a pivotedretaining hook, means for detachably holding said hook in its operativeposition, a pivoted latch adapted to be turned to release said means,and a head on said latch projecting into the bottom of the hook andforming a seat for a member retained by said hook.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of a pivotedretaining hook formed with a chamber extending therethrough, a pavvlpivoted to engage and hold the hook in its operative position, and alatch pivoted Within the chamber o1 the hook with one end engaging thepawl and the opposite end projecting into the bottom of the hook to forma seat for a member to be retained by the hook.

S. In a device o1' the character described. the combination with acasing having an opening in one side, oi' a reA taining hook pivotedwithin the casing to be turned to project through said opening, means inthe casing tor detachably holding the hook in its projectedposition,means operated by the strain put upon the device for releasing saidholding means, a stop on the hook to limit the inward turning, and lugshaving inclined sides on the easing :it: cach side of the opening.

t). In a device of the character described, the combination with acasing, oi' a retaining hook pivoted within the casing, a latch pivotedintermediate its ends to the hook and carried thereby, a head on one endof the latch extending within the hook rec and forming a scat i'or :imember retained by the hook, u curved paw] pivotcd within the casing toengage and det'achably hold the hook in its operative position andprovided with un incline engaged by one end of the latch, and a springor springs tor holdingl the pawl in engagement with thc hook.

10. In a device of the character described, the combination of a pivotedretaining hook, a pawl to engage and hold said hook in its operativeposition, means operated bythe strain or pull ol a member retained bythe hook ior disengaging the pawl from said hook. :t spring toyieldiugly hold said pawl against the action ot said means, and meansfor adjusting the tension of said spring.

11. In a device ot the character described, the combination \vith acasing having a face plate forming one side thereof which is termed witha central opening, oi' :1 retaining hook pivoted in the casing to swingthrough said opening, a pawl pivoted within the casing to eng: jectionon the hook and hold the some in operative posi tion, a latch carried bythe hook engaged at om` end b v :i member retained by the hook and at;its opposite end engaging the pawl, a spring attached at one end to thefree end of the pawl, a bolt adapted to turn within :in openingl in theface plate, and a nut on the inner eml o1? said bolt to which nut theother end of said spring is attached.

l2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a faceplate having a centr-.1l opening, :i casing on the rear side of the faceplate having upper and lower ends reduced at one side to i'orm shouldersand a retaininf.,r hook pivoted between said ends ot the casing to beturned to project outward through the openingl in the i'ace plate undtermed with a chamber extending therethrough from the bottom ot the hookrecess, stops on the hook to engage the shoulders on the ends of thecasing, a curved pawl pivotcd within the casing with its i'ree endprojectingl between the reduced sides of the heads of the casing andprovided with an incline, a latch pivoted intermediate its ends withinthe chamber of the hook with one end adapted to engage the incline onthe pawl, :1 head on the opposite end ot" said latch forming a sent fora member to be retained by tinl hook, coiled springs attached at one endto the upper and lower sides of the tree end oi' the pawl, and means foradjusting the tension of said springs to which they are :1ttachcd attheir opposite ends.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.v

HARRY J. SUMMICRS.

Witnesses t @Livi-:n E. lnn'rimr., ANNA M. Donn.

